About Smokemont Campground
Smokemont Campground is open year-round, beside the Oconaluftee River about 6 miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina, on Newfound Gap Road. At 2,198 feet, winters are mild and summers are hot and humid. It has 142 sites for tents and RVs up to 40 feet, flush toilets, drinking water and a year-round dump station, but no hookups or showers.
Seasons
Loops A and B are open all year. The Park Service lists Loop C as open March through the end of October and Loops D and F as open mid-May through October. Reservations are required and open up to six months ahead on recreation.gov. The fee is $30 per site per night, and Senior and Access passes discount it, though the America the Beautiful pass does not.
From camp
The Bradley Fork Trail begins at the far north end of the campground road and runs along a creek on an old railroad bed. The Chasteen Creek Cascade is a 3.6-mile round trip. Smokemont Riding Stables, with seasonal firewood and ice sales, is nearby, and you are a short drive from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the Mountain Farm Museum and elk viewing in the meadow at dawn and dusk. Mingus Mill is closed for rehabilitation until further notice.
Getting there
From Cherokee, take Newfound Gap Road (US-441) north 6 miles and turn right at the campground sign. From Gatlinburg, take Newfound Gap Road south about 27 miles and turn left. The Cherokee area has groceries, fuel and restaurants. A parking tag is not required at your campsite, but it is required for parking elsewhere, and federal passes do not replace it.
Rules
Check-in is at 1 p.m. and check-out at noon, with quiet hours 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet are allowed in the campground and on roads, but not on trails other than the Oconaluftee River Trail. Store food away from bears.
Good to know
- How many sites does Smokemont Campground have?
- 142 sites. Season: Open year-round. Loops A and B open all year; Loop C Mar-Oct; Loops D and F mid-May to Oct..
- How do I reserve a site?
- Reservations for national park campgrounds are made on recreation.gov. Summer and October weekends book up early.
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.